No wonder Grandma Wang is looking forward to a grandson; why else would she want to marry a daughter-in-law to have a grandchild? One can't blame the daughter-in-law for being anxious all day long; originally, it's not that she isn't trying to have children, but if they are stillborn or not alive when born, what can be done? Take the first pregnancy for example: ever since she became pregnant, Grandma Wang prohibited her daughter-in-law from doing anything, not even allowing her to turn over in bed at night. Isn't that being careful enough? Who knew that after more than five months, the daughter-in-law probably blinked her eyes a couple of times too many and had a miscarriage! And it was a male fetus; serves her right! Now, about the second pregnancy, the daughter-in-law didn't even blink without measuring; when yawning, there were two maids supporting her on either side. Indeed, being careful and cautious didn't go wrong, and she gave birth to a big, chubby boy. However, he didn't survive for five days, and for some reason, the child left this world without a sound, unnoticed and unheard. It was November, and there were four stoves in the delivery room, with not even a needle's point-sized hole in the window; let alone the wind, even the wind god would find it difficult to come in. Moreover, the child was covered with four blankets and five quilts, which should have been warm enough, right? Hmph, he still died. It was meant to be!
Now, Mrs. Wang has become pregnant again, her belly astonishingly large, looking quite like a stone mill grinding on the road. Looking at this belly, Old Lady Wang seems to have grown two little hands in her heart, playfully tugging at herself, almost making her want to laugh. Such a full and impressive belly, it would be strange if it weren't twins! The goddess of descendants has spirit, and bestows a pair of chubby boys! Old Lady Wang doesn't just pray and burn incense; if her daughter-in-law needs a living person's brain, she doesn't object. In the dead of night, she even delivers elbow soup and chicken noodle soup to her daughter-in-law... Her daughter-in-law is quite the character, the more she lies down, the hungrier she gets, she can eat two pounds of flipped mooncakes: eating until the oil flows down her pillow, and a large bowl of mixed snacks can be swept out from the depths of the quilt. How can a pregnant woman give birth to chubby boys if she doesn't eat more? The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law completely agree on this point. If the mother-in-law is like this, the maternal family can't fall behind. She comes over several times to 'urge' the birth, bringing at least eight food boxes each time. The two families, according to philosophy, should always be enemies. The more things the maternal family brings, the more the mother-in-law feels this is intentional humiliation; the more the mother-in-law tightens her grip on the food, the more the maternal family feels the daughter is losing out. In such competition, the young lady can indeed find her place, even her mouth's corners get worn out. The midwife has been watching for seven days and nights, and the baby hasn't come out at all. Folk remedies, pills, and the goddess of descendants' ashes have all been tried; none are effective. By the eighth day, the young lady doesn't even care to drink chicken soup anymore, writhing in pain on the ground. Old Lady Wang anxiously kneels and burns incense to the goddess of descendants, and the maternal family brings a nun from the Celestial Temple to chant spells to urge the birth; still, it doesn't work. It has been a commotion until midnight when the child finally shows signs of hair. The midwife uses her skills, but other than tearing the young lady's lower part apart, she has no other results. The child absolutely refuses to come out. A minute that feels like a year has passed, and after fifty or sixty minutes, there is still just hair, no baby. Someone suggests that the young lady should go to the hospital. Go to the hospital? Old Lady Wang can't do that. How can she go to the hospital to have her intestines and belly cut open, forcing the baby out from the belly? Foreign devils or Russians can do that; the Wang family wants a grandson 'raised' rather than 'pulled' out. The maternal family also speaks up, how can raising a child be fast? Even a chick takes its time to lay an egg! Moreover, the birth chant hasn't finished yet, why hurry? Not showing respect to the nun is to look down on the gods!
After wasting another hour, the child remains stubborn. The young lady rolls her eyes. Old Lady Wang's eyes are filled with old tears, and she has made up her mind: to save the child, not the adult. If the daughter-in-law dies, she can marry another; the child is more important. The young lady rolls her eyes, just then making a firm decision to pull the child out. It's just as good to find a wet nurse to raise it, just in case the daughter-in-law dies. She tells the midwife, pull! The maternal family refuses to go along, watching her daughter roll her eyes for two hours! How can a grandson compare to a daughter? Let's go to the hospital, don't wait until the birth chant is finished; who knows what the nuns are chanting, if it's not a birth chant, wouldn't that ruin everything? They send the nun away. The mother-in-law still doesn't agree; 'pulling' is out of the question! The mother-in-law doesn't approve, and the maternal family really has no idea. A married daughter is like water spilled; the living is of the Wang family, the dead are the Wang family’s ghosts. The two families glare at each other, wishing they could bite off a piece of flesh to relieve their anger.
After another half hour, the child still remains silent, stubbornly refusing to come out. The midwife sees things are not good and finds a moment to slip away. As she leaves, Old Lady Wang feels a bit unsteady. The maternal family's words suddenly carry much weight: 'The midwife has run away, what are we waiting for if we don’t go to the hospital? Are we waiting for the child to die in the womb?' The word 'die' and 'child' together touch Old Lady Wang's heart. But 'pulling' is still out of the question.
There are many who go to the hospital to give birth, not everyone is 'pulled out.' The maternal family argues, though they don't necessarily believe their own words.
Old Lady Wang certainly doesn't believe this; there is no one who goes to the hospital without being 'pulled out.'
Fortunately, the maternal father also arrived. The maternal family's momentum immediately grew. The maternal father also advocates for going to the hospital. Since he said so, they have to go. No matter what, he is a man. Although giving birth is a woman's matter, in this life-and-death situation, a man's opinion carries some weight.
The two families, Mrs. Wang, and the grandson who has only revealed his hair, all boarded the car to the hospital. It's truly pitiful to sit in a car with just hair showing, the two families continuously shed tears.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Old Lady Wang exploded. What, do we still need to register? What does it mean to register? Coming to give birth, it’s not like buying a government official’s rice porridge, what number should we wait for? Old Lady Wang was furious, the grandson can be discarded, but this number cannot be registered. But then she saw that if she didn’t register, they clearly had no intention of letting them in. This breath is hard to swallow, but it must be swallowed; for the grandson, everything must be endured. If her husband were still alive, it would be strange if the hospital wasn’t torn down on the spot; a widow can’t get away with being bullied even if she has money. There’s no time to think about the grievances in her heart, quickly bringing the grandson out is the priority. After registering, they asked for a deposit of fifty dollars. Old Lady Wang caught on: 'Fifty? Five hundred is fine, the old lady has money! If you want money, just settle it, what kind of nonsense registration is this, do you think my grandson is a letter or something?'
The doctor arrived. Upon meeting, Old Lady Wang exploded again, a male doctor! A male doctor as a midwife? My daughter-in-law cannot have a male brute assist in delivery. Before this commotion had died down, two big men came out, lifting the daughter-in-law to place her on the bed. Old Lady Wang's ears trembled! Is this a rebellion? A young pregnant woman, how can a group of big men come to handle her? 'Put her down, is there anyone here who understands human affairs?
If there is, bring a few women! If not, we’re leaving!' Just then, a very polite doctor happened to speak: 'Put her down, let them go!'
Old Lady Wang swallowed a cold breath, feeling a burning heat in her heart, if it weren’t for the grandson, she would at least slap the doctor a few loud times! The current official is not as good as the current manager; who told the grandson to deliberately cause trouble? Lift her up, no need to talk nonsense. As soon as two big men put the daughter-in-law on the canvas bed, look! The doctor pressed down on her belly with both hands! Old Lady Wang closed her eyes, cursing the mother-in-law: 'Your daughter, let a man press her like this, not even a sound from you, what virtue!' Just as she was about to shout, she thought of the grandson; how could a ten-month-old baby, who had never suffered any grievances, withstand the doctor’s rough treatment? She opened her eyes, wanting to warn the doctor. Who knew the doctor instead asked first: 'What has the pregnant woman been eating? Such a big belly! You people have no idea, giving the pregnant woman everything to eat, causing the child to be so fat. You don't come for checkups usually, and only come to us when the birth cannot happen!' Without waiting for Old Lady Wang to answer, he told the two big men: 'Take her away!'
Old Lady Wang has never endured this in her life. 'Old Lady' has always been respected wherever she went, yet today she actually received a lesson! Not to mention, words must be spoken with emotion and reason; how can a pregnant woman not eat enough nourishing food to give birth? How can a child grow? Did the doctor drink the northwest wind while in the womb? Western doctors are all Russians! It’s not appropriate to argue with Russians; she glared at the maternal family! The maternal family had no intention of being glared at, and followed their daughter into the room. Old Lady Wang also hurriedly followed.
The two families' eyes were red. What's the matter, can't we go in to see? We want to know where you have taken our daughter-in-law! Is she to be killed, or butchered? The doctor left. Old Lady Wang vented all her grievances onto the maternal family: 'You said not to pull, look, we can't even go in to take a look! Pull? You still want to cut her into eight pieces! If my daughter-in-law dies, it’s on you! If my grandson—my life is gone too. Let's fight!'
The maternal family was nervous, if they really cut their daughter, what would they do? Cutting into eight pieces is not without precedent; wasn't it just in the medical school meeting where there were human legs and organs in the big glass box? There’s no way! Things have come to this, let’s fight with the daughter-in-law’s mother! 'Are you blaming me? Who fills my daughter all day long? Didn't you hear the doctor say? Always letting the daughter-in-law's mouth run free, eating herself into problems? I've seen plenty of people, but I've never seen a mother-in-law like you!'
'I give her food? Did she ever eat a full meal when she was in your family?' Old Lady Wang counterattacked.
'She never ate a full meal in our house, so every time I visit my daughter, I bring eight food boxes!'
'But, you see, I filled her up with food boxes, you didn’t?'
The two families fought fiercely, neither showing weakness, and the insults were quite stylish.
The doctor returned. As Old Lady Wang expected, surgery was needed. Although the word 'surgery' sounded unfamiliar, she could guess that if the hand is raised, it's not just a simple cut, right? The doctor said: with surgery, both the adult and child can be saved. Otherwise, there’s a risk of life. The child has already been delayed for three hours and cannot be delivered; the baby is too big. However, to perform surgery, the signature of a family member is needed. Old Lady Wang heard not a word. Pulling is out of the question.
'What’s going on? Decide quickly!' The doctor was quite anxious.
'Pulling is out of the question!'
'Do you want to sign? Quickly!' The doctor pressed for an answer.
'My grandson must be born!'
The maternal family was anxious: 'Can I sign?'
Old Lady Wang seemed especially attentive to the mother-in-law’s words: 'My daughter-in-law! Who do you think you are?'
The doctor was truly anxious, shouting into Old Lady Wang's ear: 'This is a matter of two lives!'
'Pulling is not an option!'
'Then do you not want your grandson?' The doctor tried to move her by mentioning the grandson.
It was indeed effective; she was silent for a long time. Many ghostly figures appeared before her, all seemingly saying: 'We want a continuation of the incense, pulling out is fine!' She surrendered. Of course, the ancestors want a grandson; pull him out! 'But one thing, he must be alive when pulled out!' She heard the ancestors' words, allowing the doctor to pull the grandson out, but it was essential to specify—he must be alive. What use is a dead one? As long as a living grandson is pulled out, it doesn’t matter if the daughter-in-law dies.
The maternal family was not at ease with their daughter: 'Can both live?' 'Less talking!' Old Lady Wang scolded the mother-in-law.
'I believe there’s no danger,' the doctor said, sweating profusely, 'but the child has already been delayed for half a day, and there's no guarantee of no accident; otherwise, why would I ask you to sign?' 'Not sure? There’s no need to waste time on this!' The old lady was very responsible to her ancestors; if the pulling takes half a day and they still don’t survive, who do they owe this to! 'Alright,' the doctor was exasperated, 'please take her back! Remember, this is about two lives!'
'Two or three lives, you’re not sure, isn’t this nonsense!'
The doctor said nothing and left in frustration.
Old Lady Wang thought of something, it was worth a try. If the doctor hadn’t been leaving, she would never have thought of this tactic. 'Doctor, doctor! Come back, let’s try!'
The doctor was so angry he didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. He read the form to her, and she made a sign of the cross.
The two families waited for an unknowable amount of time, just as dawn was breaking, the big grandson was finally pulled out, weighing thirteen pounds! Old Lady Wang didn’t know how to laugh, holding the hand of the mother-in-law while laughing and crying. The mother-in-law was no longer an enemy, but had turned into an old sister. The doctor was no longer a Russian but a benefactor of the Wang family, and immediately deserved a hundred bucks as a reward. If it weren’t for this pulling, the chubby grandson would have suffocated to death, how could she face the ancestors? She wished she could kneel down and bow her head, but unfortunately, there was no goddess of descendants in the hospital.
The chubby grandson had been cleaned and placed in the children's room. The two old ladies wanted to go in and take a look. Not just to look, but to touch the grandson's chubby face with their unwashed old fingers from the night. The nurse wouldn’t allow the two families in, they could only look through the glass window. Watching their own grandson inside, their own grandson, and they weren’t even allowed to touch him! The maternal family pulled out a red envelope—originally prepared to reward the midwife—and handed it to the nurse; to give a little transportation fee, and they still weren’t allowed in? Things have gotten so strange, the nurse surprisingly refused to accept. Old Lady Wang rubbed her eyes, scrutinizing the nurse, thinking to herself: 'She doesn’t look like a foreign girl, why won't she accept the bribe? Perhaps she's unfamiliar and feels embarrassed? Got it, let’s chat with her for a bit, open up her heart and it will be easier.' Pointing towards a row of small baskets inside, she asked: 'These children were all pulled out, right?'
'Only yours, the rest were all well-raised.' 'That’s not true,' Old Lady Wang thought, 'those who came to the hospital must have been pulled out.'
'Giving the pregnant woman lots of oil and meat to eat is what causes the pulling,' the nurse seemed to enjoy talking. 'If she doesn’t eat, how can the child grow so big!' The maternal family had already aligned with Old Lady Wang.
'A pulled out chubby baby is better than a raised skinny monkey!' Old Lady Wang felt that a child who hadn’t been pulled out didn’t qualify to be in the hospital. 'Coming to the hospital to 'raise', pulling down pants to fart, what a waste of two operations!'
No matter what, the two families could only glare at each other, unable to enter.
Old Lady Wang came up with an idea, 'Nurse,' she called to the nurse, 'give me the child, we’re going home. We still have to prepare for the washing ceremony!' 'I’m neither a maid nor can I give you the child,' the nurse was quite polite.
'My grandson, how dare you not give him to me? Can the hospital handle business like this?'
'What is taken out by surgery, the adult cannot feed the child milk for the time being; we need to feed him milk.'
'You can, we can’t? I’m nearly sixty years old, have raised sons and daughters, don’t I know more than you? Have you raised a child?' The old lady also couldn’t tell if the nurse was a girl or a daughter-in-law; who knows what this person with the little white helmet is!
'Without the doctor’s orders, the child cannot be given to you!'
'Then go and call the doctor over, I will talk to him; I don't want to waste my breath with you!' 'The doctor hasn’t finished yet, he still needs to cut open the belly and sew it up.'
When the nurse said this, the maternal family thought of their daughter. Old Lady Wang seemed to forget who her daughter-in-law was. When the grandson hadn’t been born, thinking of the grandson also reminded her of the daughter-in-law; now that the grandson had been born, it seemed she could forget about the daughter-in-law. The maternal family wanted to see their daughter, who knew how big a hole had been cut in the daughter’s belly? The delivery room didn’t allow idle people in, so they could only accompany Old Lady Wang to watch the chubby little one.
Finally, they saw the doctor come out. Old Lady Wang hurriedly went to negotiate.
'To take the child through surgery, it’s best to stay in the hospital for a month,' the doctor said. 'What about the third-day full moon?' Old Lady Wang asked.
'Is life important, or is having the third-day full moon important? If the mother’s belly hasn’t healed, how can she entertain guests?' The doctor retorted.
Old Lady Wang indeed thought that having the third-day full moon was more important than a life, but she couldn’t say it out loud since the maternal family was listening. As for the belly not healing, how can one entertain guests? There’s no way: 'Just let her lie down to entertain guests, she doesn’t need to get up.' The doctor still wouldn’t agree. Old Lady Wang figured out a principle: 'Isn’t staying in the hospital all about the money? Fine, I’ll give you money, let us women go, isn’t this enough?' 'You see for yourself, can she walk or not?' the doctor said.
Neither family dared to go. What if their daughter-in-law has a hole the size of a basin on her belly, how terrifying! The maternal family, loving their daughter, mustered their courage to take a look. Old Lady Wang felt embarrassed not to follow.
Upon entering the ward, the daughter-in-law was lying on a reclining chair on the bed, her face like a white sheet. The maternal family cried out, not knowing if their daughter was alive or dead. Old Lady Wang, however, was hard-hearted, shedding only half a tear, then exploding in anger: 'Why isn’t she lying down properly? What kind of foreign punishment is this?' 'She has to lie straight; the stitches on her belly are stretched, do you understand?' the doctor said. 'Then can’t you just use glue to stick it back together?' Old Lady Wang felt the doctor had no brilliant ideas.
The maternal family wanted to say a few words to their daughter, but the doctor wouldn’t allow it. The two families seemed to realize that the doctor must have used some bad trick to leave the mother in such a state. Whatever the case, it seemed she couldn’t be discharged immediately. Alright, let’s first take the grandson away; it will be easier to handle the third-day full moon at home.
The doctor still wouldn’t agree, and Old Lady Wang was anxious. 'Does the hospital not wash for the third-day full moon? If they do, I’ll invite all the relatives here; if not, then let me take her away; such a big grandson, not doing the third-day full moon, what face do I have to live?' 'Who will feed the child milk?' the doctor asked.
'Hire a wet nurse!' Old Lady Wang completely triumphed.
In the end, they managed to take the grandson out. Old Lady Wang held her grandson in the car, and as soon as she got in, she started sneezing, sneezing all the way home, each sneeze aimed straight at the grandson's face. Upon arriving home, she quickly sent someone to find a wet nurse, still holding the grandson in her arms to shield him from the sneezes. Indeed, Old Lady Wang knew she had caught a cold; however, she could never let go of her grandson. By noon, the grandson had received at least two hundred sneezes, and slowly warmed up. Old Lady Wang was even more reluctant to let go. By three o’clock in the afternoon, the grandson was burning like a piece of charcoal. By night, two wet nurses had already been hired, but the grandson had died without drinking a drop of milk.
Old Lady Wang cried for a long time; after crying, her old eyes widened: 'A pulled-out child! Can a pulled-out one survive? Let’s sue the hospital! Such a heavy grandson lived only for a day, how is that possible? All the fault of the hospital, those Russians!'
Old Lady Wang took her mother-in-law and went to the hospital to make a scene. The maternal family also wanted to quickly take their daughter out; the hospital was unreliable!
They took the daughter-in-law out; without taking her out, how could they sue? Not long after taking her out, the stitches on the daughter-in-law’s belly split, and even applying the 'postpartum rejuvenation ointment' was of no use, she also died silently. Alright, two cases merged into one, Old Lady Wang sued the hospital. If she lost her life, she couldn’t let the grandson and daughter-in-law go unavenged!